11.VIII. 1918 г.

To Penza

To [ovari]erschami Kuraev, Bosch, Mnkin and other Penza Communists

T[ovari]shchi! The uprising of the five kulachi1 volosts must be put down mercilessly. This is what the interest of the whole revolution demands, for now there is "the last decisive battle" with the kulaks. A model must be given.

1) To hang (hang by all means, so that the people may see) at least 100 known kulaks, rich men, bloodsuckers.

2) Publish their names.

3) Take away all their bread.

4) Appoint hostages - as per yesterday's telegram2.

To make the people see, tremble, know, shout for hundreds of versts around: strangle the bloodsucking kulaks.

Telegraph receipt and execution3.

Your Lenin.

P.S. Find people who are tougher.

Fund 2, op. 1, d. 6898 - autograph.

1Referring to the uprising of peasants dissatisfied with the food policy of Soviet power, which began on August 5, 1918. It covered the most food-sufficient volosts of Penza and neighboring Morshansky uyezd of Penza province (a total of 8 volosts). (See: Chronicle of the Penza regional organization of the CPSU. 1884-1937. Saratov, 1988, p. 58). On August 9 and 10 V.I.Lenin received telegrams from the chairman of the Penza provincial committee of the RCP(b) E.B.Bosh and the chairman of the Council of provincial commissars V.V.Kuraev informing him about the uprising and gave instructions in return telegrams about the organization of its suppression (see: V.I.Lenin. Biographical chronicle. Т. 6. M., 1975, pp. 41, 46, 51 and 55; Lenin V.I. Poln. sobr. op. cit. 50, pp. 143-144, 148, 149 and 156). The published letter repeats these instructions in a harsher, sharpened form. The content of the letter was partially described in the memoirs of Bosch (Meetings and Conversations with Vladimir Ilyich (1915-1918) // Proletarian Revolution, 1924, No. 3 (26), p. 169).

2This refers to a direct wire note to Penza to the chairman of the provincial executive committee A.E. Minkin (copies to E.B. Bosch and V.V. Kuraev) signed by V.I. Lenin, A.D. Tsyurupa and E.M. Sklyansky, transmitted on August 11, 1918 at 0 o'clock. 10 min. Its draft was written by Tsyurupa on August 10 (see: Lenin's Collection XVIII, p. 203).

3The insurrection was liquidated on August 12, 1918. The local authorities managed to do this mainly through agitation with limited use of military force. The participants in the murder of five pro-Darmeys and three members of the village council in the village of Kuchki, Penza u. Kuchki, Penza district, and the organizers of the rebellion (13 people) were arrested and shot.